Free Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1What does the prefix hyper- indicate in a medical term?

   1. A. Below or deficient
   2. B. Above or excessive
   3. C. Slow in rate
   4. D. Equal or the same

   Answer: B

   Explanation: MedlinePlus defines hyper- as "above, beyond, excessive". It indicates an excess, rather than a deficiency, slow rate, or sameness.

   Reference: MedlinePlus: Understanding Medical Words—Word Parts — Word Parts table, Amounts and Sizes, hyper- row

2. 2A provider asks an assistant to give a patient an education pamphlet and arrange a follow-up visit. Which response uses a check-back to verify the instruction?

   1. A. The assistant repeats both tasks and the provider confirms them.
   2. B. The assistant says the tasks seem similar to yesterday's work.
   3. C. The assistant asks the patient to recall the provider's request.
   4. D. The assistant forwards the request without confirming its meaning.

   Answer: A

   Explanation: AHRQ calls a check-back "A closed-loop communication strategy used to ensure that information conveyed by the sender is correctly understood by the receiver." Repeating the tasks and obtaining confirmation closes the loop; merely acknowledging or forwarding a message does not.

   Reference: TeamSTEPPS Pocket Guide — Printed p.7, Check-Back

3. 3At a HIPAA-covered practice, individually identifiable information about a patient's treatment is discussed aloud. Which statement about its protection is correct?

   1. A. It is protected health information even when communicated orally.
   2. B. It becomes protected only after being entered into an electronic record.
   3. C. It is protected only when the patient's Social Security number is spoken.
   4. D. It loses protection if no paper copy of the conversation is made.

   Answer: A

   Explanation: HHS states that PHI is protected "in any form or media, whether electronic, paper, or oral." Oral discussion of identifiable treatment information is therefore covered; recording it or speaking a particular identifier is not required.

   Reference: HHS: Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule — What Information is Protected, Protected Health Information

4. 4A requested visit requires an examination that the treating clinician determines must occur in person. How should the assistant arrange the visit?

   1. A. Schedule it as telehealth because any examination can be virtual.
   2. B. Schedule the clinician-directed in-person appointment.
   3. C. Book audio-only care without obtaining the clinician's approval.
   4. D. Substitute an asynchronous message for the requested examination.

   Answer: B

   Explanation: HHS notes, "Some care requires an in person visit". Suitability depends on the clinical need; the assistant should follow the clinician’s determination rather than substitute a remote format that cannot meet it.

   Reference: HHS Telehealth: Planning Your Telehealth Workflow — Conducting telehealth visits, hybrid-care note

5. 5For covered services subject to a plan's deductible, what does the deductible represent?

   1. A. A monthly charge for keeping the insurance policy active
   2. B. The provider's full charge before any plan adjustment
   3. C. The amount the patient pays before the plan begins paying
   4. D. A fixed payment collected for every type of office visit

   Answer: C

   Explanation: HealthCare.gov defines a deductible as "The amount you pay for covered health care services before your insurance plan starts to pay." Some benefits are payable before the deductible; the question is limited to services to which it applies.

   Reference: HealthCare.gov Glossary: Deductible — Deductible, definition and exceptions

6. 6A Medicare remittance assigns an adjustment to group code CO, meaning Contractual Obligation. To whom does that group code assign responsibility for the adjusted amount?

   1. A. The provider
   2. B. The patient
   3. C. The patient's employer
   4. D. A future secondary payer automatically

   Answer: A

   Explanation: CMS states that "CO (Contractual Obligation) assigns responsibility to the provider". The adjustment should not be converted into patient responsibility merely because part of the original charge remains unpaid.

   Reference: CMS: Health Care Payment and Remittance Advice — Electronic Remit Advice and Standard Paper Remit, Group Codes

7. 7In a six-digit terminal-digit filing system, what is the primary filing unit for record number 18-42-67?

   1. A. 18
   2. B. 67
   3. C. 42
   4. D. 24

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The IHS manual explains that primary digits are "the last two digits on the right-hand side of the number." Thus 67 is the primary unit; 42 is secondary and 18 tertiary. This tests the filing method, not an IHS-only requirement for other practices.

   Reference: Indian Health Manual, Part 3, Chapter 3: Health Information Management — Program Responsibilities, Terminal-Digit Numeric Filing System

8. 8In medical word construction, what does hypo- mean?

   1. A. Around or surrounding
   2. B. Within or inside
   3. C. Under or deficient
   4. D. Across or through

   Answer: C

   Explanation: The appendix gives the meaning "under, deficient" for hypo-. The other choices confuse deficiency with location or direction.

   Reference: MedlinePlus: Understanding Medical Words—Word Parts — Word Parts table, Amounts and Sizes, hypo- row

9. 9An assistant transfers an unresolved patient concern to the next shift. Which feature makes this a proper handoff?

   1. A. The outgoing assistant leaves an unsigned note at a shared desk.
   2. B. The incoming assistant receives the task without asking questions.
   3. C. The receiver acknowledges responsibility and can clarify the information.
   4. D. The outgoing assistant assumes that electronic delivery confirms acceptance.

   Answer: C

   Explanation: The guide includes "Acknowledgment by receiver" and "Opportunity to ask questions and review" in a proper handoff. Transfer requires clear acceptance and an opportunity to clarify, not an assumption based on message delivery.

   Reference: TeamSTEPPS Pocket Guide — Printed p.8, Handoff

10. 10A covered practice hires an outside company to process claims using patient information. Which HIPAA relationship generally applies to this company?

    1. A. It is a patient personal representative because it handles records.
    2. B. It is a workforce member because the practice pays for its service.
    3. C. It is a business associate performing a function for the practice.
    4. D. It is a public health authority because the claims concern health care.

    Answer: C

    Explanation: HHS lists "claims processing, data analysis, utilization review, and billing" as business associate functions. An outside claims processor uses PHI on behalf of the covered practice and generally requires the corresponding business associate safeguards.

    Reference: HHS: Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule — Business Associates, Business Associate Defined